Printing concepts

Read this section for an overview of the printing function and related concepts.

Overview
These steps give a high-level overview of the IBM i printing process.
Printer file
Printers attached to IBM i products are supported by the IBM i operating system through printer files.
Spooled files and output queues
The spooling function places spooled files (also known as printer output) in an output queue. This allows you to manage your printing operations more effectively.
Printer writer program
The printer writer program is a system-supplied program that takes spooled files from an output queue and sends them to a printer. The spooled files on a particular output queue remain stored in the system until the printer writer program assigns a printer to the output queue.
Printer data streams
The IBM i operating system supports different data streams, such as SNA character string (SCS), Advanced Function Presentation data stream, Intelligent Printer Data Stream (IPDS), and American National Standard Code for International Interchange (ASCII) data stream.
Printer device description
Printer device descriptions must be created for each printer attached to the system.
Job description
A job description is a system object, made up of many parameters, that defines how a job is to be processed.
Workstation description
The workstation description, for a display station, is a collection of information that tells the system how the display station is to be used.
User profile
The user profile is an object with a unique name that contains the user password, the list of special authorities assigned to a user, and the objects the user owns.
System values
System values are objects supplied by IBM and included in the system. System values control such things as system date, system time, default system printer, and so on.
Controlling printing to output queue or printer
The routing of the spooled file to an output queue or to a printer is based on values stored in several printing elements. These values are looked at by the system in a defined order. This process gives you a great amount of flexibility to control the routing of spooled files.
Printer attachment methods
You can use many methods to attach a printer to a System i® product, such as a TCP/IP network, a personal computer, a twinaxial workstation controller, and an ASCII workstation controller.
Remote system printing
Remote system printing allows spooled files that are created on a IBM i platform to be automatically sent to and printed on other systems.
Fonts
The fonts mentioned in this topic are included in the IBM i operating system. Other font products, such as the IBM AFP Font Collection, are available and can be purchased separately.
Double-byte character set support
The IBM i operating system supports printing of double-byte characters.
Internet Printing Protocol server
The IBM Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) server for i allows IPP clients (such as Windows PCs) to submit and manage print jobs to any IBM i printer.
Network print server
The IBM i network print server is the host or print server for print clients.
Communications network printing functions
You can use the communications network printing functions to send data within a communications network to be printed on a IBM i platform.
Host print transform
The host print transform is an IBM i function that converts an SNA character string (SCS) or Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) data stream into an ASCII data stream. The ASCII data stream is then formatted and sent to an ASCII printer through one or more hardware connections, such as IBM i Access for Windows, or the 3477 or 3487 workstations.
Image print transform
The image print transform is an IBM i function that is capable of converting image or PostScript data streams into various ASCII and non-ASCII printer data streams.
Additional printing considerations
You also need to consider direct print jobs, print fonts, and output fields.

Parent topic: Basic printing